Method and system for archiving and restoring data from an operations center in a utility data center

ABSTRACT

A system and method for archiving and restoring data from an operations center of a utility data center are described. The system includes a number of database systems, located in the operations center, a cell manager, located in a utility controller of the utility data center and coupled to each of the database systems through a designated port in a firewall. The system also includes a media agent coupled to each of the databases and to the cell manager. The media agent is configured to receive data from the database systems for forwarding to an archival storage device.

RELATED U.S. APPLICATION

This application claims priority to the provisional patent applicationSer. No. 60/483,030, entitled “A Method And System For Archiving AndRestoring Data From An Operations Center In A Utility Data Center,” withfiling date Jun. 27, 2003, assigned to the assignee of the presentapplication, and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of systemnetworks. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate tonetworks used as utility data centers, for example.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Modern networking continues to provide improvements and expansion forcommunication and information access. The continuing growth ofnetworking systems and technology seems limitless and the speed ofnetworked communications has brought benefits to nearly every humanendeavor.

Recent trends in information technology have seen large enterprises andother users moving towards a new paradigm of network utilization, theprovisionable utility data center (UDC). A UDC allows a centralizationof information technology (IT) services and enterprise-wide, or eveninternet-wide, access to specialized data and functions. The variousmoves to re-centralize IT systems of all kinds is driven in part byshortages in IT staff and by the intrinsic inefficiencies of distributedsystems. Notably, many IT managers are migrating to a smaller number oflarge data centers. Enabled by abundant and relatively inexpensivenetwork bandwidth, IT services can now be distributed to users globally.The need to nest server-side technology near the client workstation islessening, which has led to this dramatic change in IT architecture.

This re-centralization requires greater resilience, reliability andsecurity, since a failure of shared resources or a loss of critical datacan affect an enterprise using a UDC to a large degree. At the sametime, though, consolidated provisionable UDCs can more easily beengineered to eliminate single points of failure.

Another trend is the growing importance of third-party serviceproviders. Networking enterprises are finding it advantageous to turn toservice providers instead of bearing the cost of internal development,deployment, and maintenance of their own in-house systems. In areas suchas global networking, service providers dominate in provisioning acommodity resource that enterprises would find it difficult to developindividually. Storage service providers allow enterprises to cache dataconveniently. A small, but growing, contingent of application serviceproviders (ASPS) now are able to operate enterprise software systems. ITservice providers are exploiting the opportunity to consolidate acrossenterprises, which allows them to be highly competitive with internal ITorganizations.

The system management tools available to reliably operate and secure theresultant necessarily complex network systems are also emerging.Constant, dynamic, reprovisioning of resources to match shifting clientsand client needs depends on a strong IT resource management foundation.

Even more than earlier distributed networks, provisionable data centernetworks are exposed to possible security lapse and even attack throughthe multitudinous communications links such systems entail. Becausethere is necessary communication within and between resources containedwithin the provisionable data center, as well as communication withusers outside the network, the possible avenues of security failure aremany.

Referring to Prior Art FIG. 1, UDC 100 is comprised of three trustdomains. Each domain is separated by security technology that controlsaccess across the trust boundary. The three trust domains are theOperations Center (OC) 110, the Utility Controller (UC) 120 and theResource Pool 130. Resource Pool 130 contains the resources that aredeployed into “farms” of dynamically provisioned computer systems,storage and networks, such as Farm A 180 a, Farm B 180 b, Farm C 180 cand Farm D 180 d. These farms comprise allocated devices. Resource Pool130 can also contain non-allocated devices that are available for futureallocation. This is an untrusted domain.

The OC 110 contains systems that permit operators to define theallocation and reallocation of resources and to perform businessmanagement for the storage service provider. The UC 120 contains systemsand software for implementing operator instructions from the OC 110. TheUC 120 provides the control logic to actually provision farms 180 a–180d with resources and to allocate devices. The OC 110 is a high trustdomain, but not as highly trusted as the UC 120 domain, and is separatedfrom UC 120 by firewall 145. Together UC 120 and resource pool 130constitute service core 115. The UC 120 is the most highly trusted ofthe trust domains.

Systems in the UC 120 and OC 110 are assigned either real or virtualdisks that contain data that is important to the operation of servicecore 115. In order to protect the provisional service core's 115resource pool from a denial of service resulting from the loss orcorruption of data, the utility controller 120 provides a mechanism toautomatically archive and retrieve all data that is logically associatedwith systems in the operations center and utility controller. Thisarchiving mechanism operates within the UC 120 and is protected by thefirewall 145 of the highly trusted domain. The Operations Center (OC)and the UC are also protected by firewall 155 that separates the OC fromthe outside world. Cell manager 140 contains a list of the systems andfiles that are to be backed up and the schedules for backing up thevarious systems. A disk agent 150 resides on each system that is to bebacked up. At an appointed backup time, cell manager 140 sends a messageto disk agent 150 to begin the backup process. Cell manager 140 alsosends a message to media agent 160, advising that data is about to bereceived. Disk agent 150 then sends the data to media agent 160 andmedia agent 160 forwards the data to data backup storage device 170(e.g., tape or disk storage).

OC 110, having a lower level of trust than the Utility Controller 120,has no access to the automatic archival (or backup) and retrievalmechanism used by the UC 120 for backing up utility controller 120.Therefore, operators of the UDC wishing to backup the OC 110 data needto configure the OC 110 with its own archival storage media, such as atape storage unit or a tape drive, that is connected to its computersystems. Software would be needed on each computer system to copy datafiles to the backup media on the system where the storage unit isprovisioned. In order to perform a backup of the system, it would benecessary to shut down any applications that are running before thebackup would commence to prevent incomplete transactions from beingbacked up. In addition, safeguards would be needed to prevent backupdata from being lost, being restored to the wrong system, or beingincorrectly associated with a system when the backup is created. Suchsoftware development is manpower intensive and expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system and method for archiving and restoring data from an operationscenter of a utility data center is described. In one embodiment, thesystem includes a number of systems, some of which include a database,located in the operations center, a cell manager, located in a utilitycontroller of the utility data center and coupled to each of theoperations center systems through a designated port in a firewall. Inone embodiment, the system also includes a media agent coupled to eachof the operations center systems and to the cell manager. The mediaagent is configured to receive data from the operations center systemsfor forwarding to an archival storage device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Prior Art FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional systemfor backing up data in the service core of a utility data center.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system for backing up data inan operations center of a utility data center, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a utility data center configuredfor archiving and restoring data in an operations center, in accordancewith one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method for backing up data in anoperations center, in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method for restoring data in an operationscenter, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary computer system, in accordancewith one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention,examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whilethe invention will be described in conjunction with the embodiments, itwill be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention tothese embodiments. Furthermore, in the following detailed description,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the present invention. In other instances, well knownmethods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail soas not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention.

The following detailed description pertains to a method and system forarchiving and restoring data from an operations center of a utility datacenter. A system and method are disclosed for providing automatic backupand retrieval of data in the operations center of a utility data center,utilizing the backup mechanism employed by the utility controller, asaugmented to prevent corruption of data during the backup process due toapplications that may be running and to allow communication acrosssecurity firewalls. The system includes a database technology thatsupports a backup mode so that applications that are running at the timeof backup do not need to be manually stopped before the running of abackup.

Certain portions of the detailed descriptions of embodiments of theinvention, which follow, are presented in terms of processes and methods(e.g., methods 400 and 500 of FIGS. 4 and 5). Although specific stepsare disclosed herein describing the operations of these processes andmethods, such steps are exemplary. That is, embodiments of the presentinvention are well suited to performing various other steps orvariations of the steps recited in the flowcharts of the figures herein.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an automated backupmechanism for a utility data center's (UDC) operations center (OC). Oneembodiment of the present invention allows the OC to utilize existingarchival storage media and software to schedule backups and to copy datafiles to the backup media. One embodiment of the present inventionprovides novel software on each system to quiesce applications prior toa backup or restoration operation and safeguards to prevent backup datafrom being restored to the wrong system or being incorrectly associatedwith a system when the backup is being created.

Specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide theadvantages of: automatic and periodic, full and incremental archivalbackups of OC systems; software to ensure that data integrity ismaintained when data is backed up and restored; software and/orprocedures to prevent masquerading type attacks; and access to storagemedia and devices that already exist in the UDC. Embodiments of thepresent invention also include software to automatically configure afirewall to allow communication to pass in order for archival backup orrestore procedures to occur, and then, upon completion of the procedure,automatically restore the firewall to its original settings

Referring now to FIG. 2, a block diagram 200 illustrating a system forbacking up data in OC 210 of a UDC is presented, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention. OC 210 is protected from theoutside world by firewall 255. A disk agent 250 is located on each ofthe systems in OC 210 for which data is to be backed up and archived ona periodic basis. OC 210 can be affiliated with multiple service cores215, each service core 215 comprising a UC 220 and a resource pool 230.A single service core 215 is designated for the purpose of controllingthe backing up of OC 210. Disk agent 250 is logically connected to cellmanager 240 and to media agent 260 in UC 220 of service core 215,through a normally closed port in firewall 245. Cell manager 240contains a list of the systems and files that are to be backed up andthe schedules for backing up the various systems and files. At theappointed time for backing up the data in OC 210, the cell manager 240initiates the backup process.

By means of novel backup software residing on cell manager 240, inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention, when theappointed time arrives for backing up data in OC 210, cell manager 240opens the port in firewall 245 and causes a pre-backup program, residingon the system to be backed up (the targeted system), to execute. Thepre-backup program and a post-backup program are provided for eachtargeted system residing in OC 210.

According to one embodiment, the pre-backup program is designed toquiesce (put in a suspended state from which any applications that arerunning may continue to run following the backup, and from which thepre- and post-backup programs can properly implement the backup ofin-process information) any applications that are running on thetargeted system so as not to corrupt any data during the backup process.Once the system has been backed up, a post-backup program is executed torestore the system to a normal operating state.

In another embodiment, the application or applications that are runningat the time of the backup may have an embedded backup mode. In theinstances where the application has a backup mode, the pre-backup scriptwill place the application in backup mode rather than suspend it. Insuch an instance, the post-backup script will then remove theapplication from backup mode so that it may continue to run.

Cell manager 240 then sends a message to disk agent 250, which resideson the targeted system, advising disk agent 250 to begin the backupprocess. Cell manager 240 also sends a message to the media agent 260,advising that data is about to be received. Disk agent 250 then sendsthe data to media agent 260 and media agent 260 forwards the data on tobackup storage device 270 where it is archived. Backup storage devicecan be a tape library (e.g., a robotic system of multiple tapes), alarge disk storage unit, or any mass memory storage that is accessiblevia media agent 260.

In another embodiment, OC 210 may be configured as a farm (e.g., Farm A280 a) in the service core 215 of the UDC. Each system will have a diskagent, a pre-backup script, a post-backup script, and restore software.A farm will have a firewall to protect OC 210 from unauthorized accessby other farms. The farm firewall will be configured in a manner similarto firewall 245 to allow backup and restore traffic.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a UDC 300 configured forarchiving and restoring data in operations center (OC) 210, inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Resource pool230 contains allocated farms of resources accessed by farm servers, suchas farm server 280. Resource pool 230 may also contain unallocatedresources that are available for creating new farms or augmentingexisting farms. Together, resource pool 230 and utility controller (UC)220 make up a service core (e.g., service core 215 of FIG. 2). A singleUDC 300 may have several service cores, but only one OC 210. In such aninstance, one of the service cores will be designated to perform thebackup and data archival for OC 210.

Cluster server 310, located in UC 220, contains cell manager 240 formanaging the backup operations within UC 220 and its associatedresources. Assuming that UC 220 is in the service core designated tobackup OC 210, cell manager 240 is also designated to manage the backupand archival of data from OC 210. Disk agent 250 is present for sendingbackup data from cluster server 310 to archival storage when theappointed time for its backup arrives. Media agent 260 may of may notreside on cluster server 310. Media agent 260 mediates access to thearchival storage (e.g., tape library 270) for the various disk agents onthe systems that require backup. The various computer and databasesystems within UDC 300 are coupled via local area networks (LANs), suchas LAN 375 that connects OC 210 with UC 220.

Firewall 245 provides security between UC 220, which has the highestlevel of trust, and OC 210, which has a lower trust level, according toone embodiment of the present invention. Firewall 255 protects the othersystems in OC 210 from portal web server 355, also a part of OC 210,which interfaces with the Internet. Typical systems in OC 210 that canbe backed up in accordance with embodiments of the present invention areillustrated within OC 210. These systems can include, but are notlimited to, portal database server 335, portal applications server 340,service desk server 345, open view manager 350 and portal web server355. Each server has a resident disk agent (e.g., disk agent 250) tomanage the sending of data to media agent 260 for archiving in datastorage such as tape library 270, or a similar device configured forstoring large amounts of archived data.

Portal database server 335 contains the main database for all servicecores, including work flow management and configuration information forthe systems and how they are connected. Portal applications server 340may contain access logs relative to who is accessing what information.Service desk 345 may function as an Information Systems Manager and maytrack billing information for accessing of Internet and farms. Open viewmanager 350 handles event information that is tied into troubleticketing. Portal web server 355 contains information such as backup webservice logs, access logs and applications. Thus, it is important to beable to archive and restore the OC 210 database information.

In another embodiment, OC 210 may be configured as a farm (e.g.,accessed by farm server 280 in the resource pool 230 of a service coreof UDC 300). Each database can have a disk agent, a pre-backup script, apost-backup script, restore software and a firewall to protect UC 220from OC 210.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 400 for backing up datain an operations center (OC), in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention. Method 400 begins with step 410 in which a backup ofthe OC in a UDC is selected. The backup can be automatically selected bya cell manager (e.g., cell manager 240 of FIG. 3) residing in theutility controller (UC) of a service core of the UDC according to apredetermined schedule. In one embodiment, a backup of the OC may beselected manually, by an operator, from the system to be backed up.

At step 420 of FIG. 4, a designated port in a firewall (e.g., firewall245) is opened to allow communication between the OC and the UC,according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is necessaryfor moving data from the systems in the OC to the archival storagedevice that resides in the UC. In one embodiment, if the system in theOC that is being backed up interfaces with a less trusted environment,such as the Internet, there may be a port in an additional firewall(e.g., firewall 370 of FIG. 3) that is also opened.

Referring now to step 430 of FIG. 4, pre-backup script software is runon a first system. In one embodiment there may be several systems to bebacked up, such as, for example, a portal database server, a portalapplications server, a service desk, an open view manager and a portalweb server. In another embodiment, there may be only one system to bebacked up. The pre-backup script software resides on the system beingbacked up and is initiated by the cell manager residing in the UC. Thepre-backup script is designed to quiesce the system so that a backup canbe performed and data integrity maintained while running applications.This offers the advantage of not having to shut down the system beforebacking it up. In one embodiment, the pre-backup script may put asystem's databases in a backup mode, such that the system's applicationscan continue to operate, perhaps in a degraded mode, while the system isbeing backed up.

At step 440 of FIG. 4, the system is backed up, in accordance with oneembodiment. The backup begins when the disk agent (e.g., disk agent 250of FIG. 2) residing on the system targeted for backup begins sendingdata to the media agent (e.g., media agent 260 of FIG. 2), the mediaagent having been alerted by the cell manager to be ready to receive thedata from the designated targeted system. As the media agent receivesthe data from the targeted system, it forwards it to a backup storagedevice, such as tape library 270 of FIG. 3, for archival storage.

When all the data has been transferred, method 400 of FIG. 4 moves tostep 450 and a post-backup script is run on the system. The post-backupscript is designed to restore the system to the state it was in prior tothe running of the pre-backup script. This concludes the backup for thefirst system.

If there are no more systems targeted for backup, method 400 moves tostep 470. If there are other systems to be backed up, method 400 goes tostep 460 and performs steps 430, 440 and 450 for the remaining systems,one at a time.

At step 470 the backup is complete and is deselected by the cellmanager. Once the backup is deselected, method 400 moves to step 480 andthe cell manager closes the firewall port and method 400 is exited.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a flow diagram of a method 500 for restoringdata in an operations center (OC) is presented, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention. Beginning with step 510 of method500, an operator selects a restore process for restoring data to asystem in the OC (e.g., OC 210 of FIG. 3) of a UDC from archivalstorage. The restore process is generally performed as the result of asystem outage. The system outage may be the result of a catastrophicfailure or of an outage for routine maintenance, for example.

According to one embodiment, when the restore process is initiated, thecell manager (e.g., cell manager 240 of FIG. 2) in the utilitycontroller (UC) of the UDC is notified and step 520 is entered. In step520, the cell manager causes a designated port in a firewall (e.g.,firewall 245 of FIG. 2) to open to allow communication between the OCand the UC (e.g., UC 220 of FIG. 3), according to one embodiment of thepresent invention. This is necessary for moving data from the archivalstorage device (e.g., tape library 270 of FIG. 2) that resides in the UCsystems to the system in the OC that is targeted for data restoration.In one embodiment, if the system in the OC that is being restoredinterfaces with a less trusted environment, such as the Internet, theremay be a port in an additional firewall (e.g., firewall 370 of FIG. 3)that is also opened.

Still referring to FIG. 5, once the firewall port is opened, in oneembodiment of the present invention, the cell manager causes pre-restoresoftware to be run on the targeted system. The pre-restore software runsto quiesce any applications that might be running on the targetedsystem. Although it may be expected, in the case of a catastrophicfailure, that there would be no applications running, there may be aneed to restore data for other reasons, such as, for example, to assurethat the correct information is present following a maintenance outage.In such an instance, the pre-restore software assures that a datarestoration can be performed and data integrity maintained while runningapplications. This offers the advantage of not having to shut down thesystem before restoring information.

Method 500 of FIG. 5 now moves to step 540 at which point the cellmanager in the UC notifies the media agent (e.g., media agent 260 ofFIG. 2) in the UC as to the targeted system in the OC and the data thatis to be restored, in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention. The cell manager also alerts the disk manager on the targetedsystem (e.g., portal database server 335 of FIG. 3) in the OC to expectto receive data from the media agent. The media agent then retrieves theindicated data from the archival storage device and forwards it to thedisk agent on the targeted system in the OC. The disk agent thenrestores the data to the targeted system.

When all the data has been transferred and restored, method 500 moves tostep 550 and post-restore software is run on the system. Thepost-restore software is designed to restore the system to its normalrunning state. This concludes the restoration of data to the targeted OCsystem.

At step 560 the restore process is complete and is deselected by thecell manager. Once the restore is deselected, method 500 moves to step570 and the cell manager closes the firewall port and method 500 isexited.

The software components of embodiments of the present invention run oncomputers. A configuration typical to a generic computer system isillustrated, in block diagram form, in FIG. 6. Generic computer 600 ischaracterized by a processor 601, connected electronically by a bus 650to a volatile memory 602, a non-volatile memory 603, possibly some formof data storage device 604 and a display device 605. It is noted thatdisplay device 605 can be implemented in different forms. While a videocathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal diode (LCD) screen is common,this embodiment can be implemented with other devices or possibly none.System management is able, with this embodiment of the presentinvention, to determine the actual location of the means of output ofalert flags and the location is not limited to the physical device inwhich this embodiment of the present invention is resident.

Similarly connected via bus 650 are a possible alpha-numeric inputdevice 606, cursor control 607, and communication I/O device 608. Analpha-numeric input device 606 may be implemented as any number ofpossible devices, including video CRT and LCD devices. The employment ofcursor control 607 is predicated on the use of a graphic display device,605. Communication input/output (I/O) device 608 can be implemented as awide range of possible devices, including a serial connection, universalserial bus (USB), an infrared transceiver, a network adapter or a radiofrequency (RF) transceiver.

The configuration of the devices in which this embodiment of the presentinvention is resident can vary without effect on the concepts presentedhere. The flexibility of the UDC concept provides a limitless variety ofpossible hardware device and inter-linking combinations in whichembodiments of the present invention are able to provided.

This description of the embodiments of the present invention presents asystem and method for archiving and restoring data residing in anoperations center of a utility data center (UDC), utilizing the mediaagent, the backup storage and the cell manager that reside in theutility controller of the UDC and that are already configured forbacking up and archiving data from the service core of the UDC.

Embodiments according to the present invention can be implemented ascomputer-usable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the presentinvention have been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the aboveteaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to bestexplain the principles of the invention and its practical application,to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize theinvention and various embodiments with various modifications as aresuited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scopeof the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and theirequivalents.

1. A computer system for archiving and restoring data from an operationscenter of a utility data center, comprising: a plurality of subsystems,one or more of which comprise a database located in said operationscenter; a cell manager, located in a utility controller of said utilitydata center and coupled to each of said subsystems through a designatedport in a firewall; and a media agent coupled to each of said subsystemsthrough said designated port and to said cell manager, said media agentconfigured to receive data from said databases for forwarding to anarchival storage device, wherein said data is archived on said archivalstorage device to enable restoration of said data.
 2. The computersystem described in claim 1, wherein said subsystems are configured witha pre-backup script, a post backup script and a disk agent, said diskagent for managing the sending of data to said media agent.
 3. Thecomputer system as described in claim 2, wherein said cell managerperforms a method of archiving said data in said operations center, saidmethod comprising: causing said designated port in said firewall to openat said scheduled time for said archiving of said data for one of saidsubsystems; causing said pre-backup script to run on said one of saidsubsystems; causing said post-backup script to run on said one of saidsubsystems following said sending of said data by said disk agent; andcausing said designated port to close.
 4. The computer system asdescribed in claim 3, wherein said pre-backup script is for temporarilyplacing a particular database in backup mode, said particular databasehaving a backup mode feature.
 5. The computer system as described inclaim 4 wherein said post-backup script is for changing said particulardatabase running on said one of said subsystems from backup mode tonormal mode.
 6. The computer system as described in claim 3, whereinsaid backup script is for temporarily suspending applications on aparticular database, said application running on said one of saidsubsystems, and wherein said particular database has no backup mode. 7.The computer system as described in claim 6, wherein said post-backupscript is for restoring said applications running on said one of saidsubsystems.
 8. The system as described in claim 1 wherein, in responseto operator initiation, said cell manager performs a method of restoringsaid data in said operations center, said method comprising: causingsaid designated port to said firewall to open for said restoring of saiddata to one of said subsystems; causing cessation of programs running onsaid one of said subsystems; restoring said data from said archivalstorage device; causing said programs running on said one of saidsubsystems to restart following said restoring of said data; and causingsaid designated port to close.
 9. A method of archiving data on aplurality of subsystems in an operations center of a utility datacenter, comprising: causing a designated port in a firewall to open at apre-scheduled time for said archiving of said data for one of saidsubsystems; sending said data via said designated port by a disk agenton said one of said subsystems to a media agent for forwarding to abackup storage device, wherein archival of said data on said backupstorage device is enabled; and causing said designated port to close.10. The method as described in claim 9 wherein said subsystems areconfigured with a pre-backup script, a post-backup script, saidpre-backup script and said post-backup script being unique to eachdatabase associated with one or more of said subsystems.
 11. The methodas described in claim 10, wherein said pre-backup script is fortemporarily placing a particular database in backup mode, saidparticular database having a backup mode feature.
 12. The method asdescribed in claim 11 wherein said post-backup script is for changingsaid particular database running on said one of said subsystems frombackup mode to normal mode.
 13. The method as described in claim 10,wherein said backup script is for temporarily suspending applications ona particular database, said application running on said one of saidsubsystems, and wherein said particular database has no backup mode. 14.The method as described in claim 13, wherein said post-backup script isfor restoring said applications running on said one of said subsystems.15. The method as described in claim 10, further comprising: causingsaid pre-backup script to run on said one of said subsystems prior tosaid sending of said data; and causing said post-backup script to run onsaid one of said subsystems following said sending of said data.
 16. Themethod as described in claim 15 wherein said causing is by a cellmanager located in a utility controller of said utility data center. 17.The method as described in claim 16 wherein a media agent is located insaid utility controller of said utility data center and coupled to saidcell manager and to each of said subsystems through said designated portin said firewall.
 18. The method as described in claim 16 wherein, inresponse to operator initiation, said cell manager performs a process ofrestoring data in said operations center, said process comprising:causing said designated port in said firewall to open for said restoringof said data to one of said subsystems; causing cessation of programsrunning on said one of said subsystems; restoring said data from saidarchival storage device; causing said programs running on said one ofsaid subsystems to restart following said restoring of said data; andcausing said designated port to close.
 19. A computer-usable mediumhaving computer-readable code embodied therein for causing a computersystem to perform a method of archiving data on a plurality ofsubsystems in an operations center of a utility data center, comprising:opening a designated port in a firewall at a pre-scheduled time forarchiving said data for one of said subsystem in said operations centerof said utility data center; prompting a disk agent on said one of saidsubsystems to send said data via said designated port to a media agentfor forwarding to a backup storage device, wherein archival of said dataon said backup storage device is enabled; and closing said designatedport.
 20. The computer-usable medium as described in claim 19 wherein adatabase is associated with one or more of said subsystems areconfigured with a pre-backup script, a post-backup script, saidpre-backup script and said post-backup script being unique to each ofsaid databases.
 21. The computer-usable medium as described in claim 20,wherein said pre-backup script is for temporarily placing a particulardatabase in backup mode, said database having a backup mode feature. 22.The computer-usable medium as described in claim 21 wherein saidpost-backup script is for changing said particular database running onsaid one of said subsystems from backup mode to normal mode.
 23. Thecomputer-usable medium as described in claim 20, wherein said backupscript is for temporarily suspending applications on a particulardatabase, said application running on said one of said subsystems, andwherein said particular database has no backup mode.
 24. Thecomputer-usable medium as described in claim 23, wherein saidpost-backup script is for restoring said applications running on saidone of said subsystems.
 25. The computer-usable medium as described inclaim 20, further comprising; initiating said pre-backup script on saidone of said databases prior to said sending of said data; and initiatingsaid post-backup script to run on said one of said databases followingsaid sending of said data.
 26. The computer-usable medium as describedin claim 19 wherein said computer system is a cell manager, said cellmanager located in a utility controller of said utility data center. 27.The computer-usable medium as described in claim 26 wherein a mediaagent is located in said utility controller of said utility data centerand coupled to said cell manager and to each of said databases throughsaid designated port in said firewall.
 28. The computer-usable medium asdescribed in claim 26 wherein, in response to operator initiation, saidcell manager performs a method of restoring said data in said operationscenter, said method comprising: opening said designated port in saidfirewall for said restoring of said data to one of said databases;suspending the running of programs on said one of said databases;restoring said data from said archival storage device; restarting saidprograms running on said one of said databases following said restoringof said data; and closing said designated port.